The Day of the Washington Peace Council Summit

On February 19, 2026, Palestinian editorial priority centered on the inaugural 'Peace Council' summit in Washington, marking a transition from local military friction to high-level international diplomacy. Morning headlines were dominated by reports of an imminent U.S. strike on Iran and a fatal settler attack in Mikhmas, alongside confirmed Israeli breaches of the Gaza ceasefire. By midday, attention shifted to leaked Trump administration documents revealing plans for a 1,500-dunum international military base in southern Gaza to house 5,000 troops. Simultaneously, outlets reported on the arrival of Gaza’s management committee head in the U.S. to join representatives from 47 nations. The evening coverage was almost entirely subsumed by the summit’s outcomes. Editors highlighted President Trump’s proposal of a $115 billion reconstruction plan—including a $10 billion immediate aid package—contingent on Hamas disarming. Reports also detailed the formation of an International Stability Force, with five nations committing troops to train a new Gazan police force.